Brook Islands
The Brook Islands, officially known as the Republic of the Archipelago of Brook (Yulese: Republica do Archipela det Brunkia, Spanish: República del Archipiélago de Brook, Sahrian: Republan aef sar Pelagarc aef Brook) and commonly known as the BI, is an archipelago-country in western Omania. History Politics Administrative division Foreign relations Military see Military of the Brook Islands for the full article. Geography Climate Economy The Brook Islands' stable, high-income economy features moderate growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, which was dominated until the 1960s by steel, has diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. During the past decades, growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking and other financial exports, account for the majority of economic output. The Brook Islands are the world's second largest investment fund center (after Belirod) and Omania's leading center for reinsurance companies. Moreover, the Brooker government has tried to attract internet start-ups. Pathway and Jinx are two of the many internet companies that have shifted their regional headquarters to the BI The BI has especially close trade and financial ties to Saville and Tainsaid (see Brosata), and as a member of the Omanian Union it enjoys the advantages of the open Omanian market. The Brook Islands possess the highest GDP per capita in the world (US$87,995 as of 2006) and as of March 2006, unemployment is 4.9% of the labor force. In the fiscal year of 2004 and 2005, the BI ran a budget deficit for the first time in many years, mostly because of slower international economic growth. The BI is promoting economic relations with foreign firms and countries but GDP growth is set to enter a recession in 2014.. Transport The BI has efficient road, rail and air transport facilities and services. The road network has been significantly modernized in recent years. A new passenger high-speed trainterminal at Hildegard Airport has opened some years ago as part of a system that links the main islands. There are plans to introduce trams in the capital and light-rail lines in adjacent areas within the next few years. Demographics Ethnicity The people of the Brook Islands are called Brookers. The immigrant population increased in the 20th century due to the arrival of immigrants from Yulostan, Sahra Cougar, Tainside, Saville, and Celcinia, with the majority coming from this latter. In the 2001 census, there were 58,657 inhabitants with Celcinian nationality. There were an estimated 5,000 illegal immigrants, including asylum seekers, in the BI as of 1999. Language Three languages are recognised as official in the BI: Sahrian, Spanish, and Yulese, a Franconian language that is also spoken in western parts of Yulostan and some areas of Sahra Cougar. The first printed sentences in Yulese were released by the weekly journal the Publicación de las Islas Brookés in the second edition of the 14. April 1821. Apart from being one of the three official languages, Yulese is also considered the national language of the country; it is the mother tongue or "language of the heart" for nearly all Brookers. Each of the three languages is used as the primary language in certain spheres. Yulese is the language that Brookers generally use to speak to each other, but it is not often used as the written language. Since the 1980s, an increasing number of novels have however been written in Luxembourgish. Most official (written) business is carried out in Spanish. Sahrian is usually the first language taught in school and is the language of much of the media and of the church. The BIs education system is trilingual: the first years of primary school are in Yulese, before changing to Sahrian, while in secondary school, the language of instruction changes to Spanish. Proficiency in all three languages is required for graduation from secondary school, but half the students leave school without a certified qualification, with the children of immigrants being particularly disadvantaged. In addition to the three official languages, Tainish is taught in the compulsory schooling and much of the population of the BI can speak Tainish, at any rate in Port Yuhala. German, the language of the largest immigrant community, is also spoken by large parts of the population, but by relatively few from outside their community. Category:Brook Islands Category:Brosata Category:Constitutional Monarchy Category:Omanian countries Category:Omanian Union Category:Yulese-speaking countries Category:Spanish-speaking countries Category:Sahrian-speaking countries Category:Archipelagos Category:Island-countries Category:Western Omania Category:Maritime Union Category:Countries